Rheostat tank fitting assembly



April 29, 1930; M. E. CHENEY RHEOSTAT TANK FITTING ASSEMBLY Filed April11, 1929 avwantoz wwmwamw Patented Apr. 29, 1930 UNlTElD STATES PATENTOFFICE MOSES E. CHENEY, OF LA CROSSE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO MOTO METER GAUGE & EQUIPMENT CORPORATION. OF LONG ISLANDCITY, NEW

YORK, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE RHEOSTAT TANK FITTING ASSEMBLY Thisinvention relates to improvements in rheostat. tank fittings forelectric indicating instruments, particularly those suitable for usewith gasoline tanks applied to motor cars.

An important characteristic of this improvement is that it is a unitarytank fitting easily assembled and one that reduces to a minimum thebinding of the shaft to which the rheostat arm is attached. It alsopermits a limited amount of gasoline to pass into the housing or cap ofthe rheostat to act as a lubricant, which eliminates any tendency of themovable contact button sticking to the rheostat strip or other partsbecoming sticky.

In particular, it dispenses with any seal between the cap and thegasoline tank, and by reason of the reduction in the number of bearingsfor the shaft and the simplified arrangement of parts presents aconstruction in which the hearings for the shaft can be readily reamedin alignment. thereby insuring that the shaft will not bind. In thisconstruction a bushing is employed which has a loose fit with the shaftof such character as to permit gasoline to seep into the cap, and thisbushing is elongated sutliciently to make a desirable form of bearingand also to regulate the amount of gasoline that can pass through it tothe rheostat cap.

Other objects and advantages will be in part indicated in the followingdescription and in part rendered apparent therefrom in connection withthe annexed drawings.

To enable others skilled in the art so fully to apprehend the underlyingfeatures hereof that they may embody the same in the various wayscontemplated by this invention, drawings depicting a preferred typicalconstruction have been annexed as a part of this disclosure and, in suchdrawings, like characters of reference denote corresponding partsthroughout all the views, of which Tn the drawings Figure 1 isanelevation of the tank fitting; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof: Fig.8 is an enlarged portion of the fitting more clearly showing thesealless elongated bushing.

Referring to Fig. 2 the. float arm which projects into the gasoline tankis marked l and it has a beveled gear 2 secured to the free endApplication filed April 11,

1929. Serial No. 354,374.

which is pivotally-mounted on the shaft 3 supported by the bracket 4.This bracket 4 is secured to the circular supporting plate 5, and has across arm 6 on which is reamed a bearing for the lower end of therheostat shaft 7 This shaft 7 projects up through the circularsupporting plate 5 into the cap or housing 8 for the rheostat and to theupper end of said shaft 7 is securely mounted the rheostat arm 9. y

A bushing'lO is securedto the combined bracket 4 and circular plate 5and this hashing is for that reason preferably shown as having an upperreduced end which projects above. the circular plate 5 and by means of apunch, metal from said bushing is forced against the upper surface ofthe plate 5- thereby clamping the bushing in position with its shoulder11 against the bottom of the plate 5 or the bracket 4. The shaft 7 isinserted through the bushing before the arm 9 is secured thereto, and aloose fit is formed between the shaft and the inner bore of the bushing.Preferably the parts lit reasonably close, say 2 to 2, thousandths of aninch. By reason of this extended bearing, forming such a tit with theshaft of the character specified, the gasoline is permitted to passthrough the bearing in a sufliciently limited amount to act as alubricant for the parts within thecap 8. It has been found that in thisway the arm can be prevented from sticking to the button and yet alldanger of explosions or fire is avoided.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that applicants seallesselectric tank fitting is one in which the two bearings can be reamed insufficient alignment to obviate the objectionable binding of the shaftwithin its bearings. By dispensing with one of the bearings heretoforeemployed and employing a bushing of the character heretofore de scribednot only can the two bearings be reamed readily and properly, but theparts can be readily assembled and the necessar amount of gasolinepermitted to splash through the upper bearing into the rheostat cap.

The fitting is preferably connected up to a one wire circuit. the tankbeing grounded and the cap having a terminal (see Fi 3) which consistsof a stud 13, a fiber ga et 14 and insulating and lock washers.

Without further analy will so fully reveal the gist of this inventionthat others can, by applying current knowlconstitute essentialcharacteristics of either the generic or specific aspects of thisinvention and, therefore, such adaptations should be, and are intendedto be, comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of thefollowing claims.

Having thus revealed this invention, I claim as new and desire to securethe following combinations and elements, or equivalents thereof, byLetters Patent of United States 1-- 1. In a gasoline tank fitting thecombination of a rheostat cap having a chamber therein with a bracketprojecting below said cap having unen'closed sides, a rotatable shaftjournaled in a bearing positioned in the lower art of said bracket, afloat member also ournaled in said bracket, an elongated bushmgprojecting into said chamber and secured adjacent the upper part of saidbracket having a lax' fit with said shaft, said upper and lower bearingsconstituting the sole supports for said shaft whereby a limited amountof gasoline can enter said rheostat chamber from said float chamber.

2. In a tank fitting for a receptacle containing an explosive liquid thecombination of a rheostat cap forming a chamber with a bracketprojecting from said cap, a rotatable shaft journaled in a bearingpositioned in the lower part of said bracket, an upper elongated bushingextending into said receptacle and secured to the top of the tank, saidshaft having an exposed area intermediate said bearings, the upperelongated bearing having a working fit with said shaft forming a reducedpassage extending from said receptacle to said chamber whereby a limitedamount of explosive liquid can pass from the exposed area of said shaftthrough said elongated bearing to said rheostat chamber.

3. The combination of a receptacle containing a volatile explosive fluidwith a rheostat chamber adjacent said receptacle and subject to thevapors from said volatile fluid; a movable member within said chamber, aconnecting member extending from the rheostat chamber into saidreceptacle, a float operated member controlled by the buoyancy of thefluid, an elongated bearing for the connecting member having a loose fitwith .said connecting member, forming an attenuated passage forpermitting a limited amount of said explosive fluid to pass to saidchamber for lubricating the parts in said chamber, a part of saidconnecting member having an exposed sis, the foregoing ,ing for thefloat-operated member having a loose fit with said member forming apassage for permitting a limited amount of said explosive fluid to passto said chamber for lubricating the parts in said chamber.

5. The combination of a receptacle containin a volatile explosive-fluidwith a rheo stat c amber adjacent said receptacle and subject to thevapors from said volatile fluid: a wi er in said chamber; afloat-operated mem er extending from the receptacle into said rheostatchamber and actuatin said wiper, said member being controlled y thebuoyancy of the fluid; and a bearing for the float-operated memberhaving a loose fit with said member forming a passage for permitting alimited amount of said explosive fluid to pass to said chamber forlubricating the parts in said chamber.

6. The combination of a gasoline tank with a rheostat chamber adjacentsaid tank and subject to the vapors from gasoline in said tank; a wiperin said chamber; a float-open ated member extending from the tank intosaid rheostat chamber and actuating said wiper; said member beingcontrolled by the buoyancy of the gasoline in said tank; and a plainbearing for said member permitting seepage of gasoline between saidbearing and chamber; a float-operated member, said bearing beingsupported by-a wall of said rheostat chamber.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

MOSES E. CHENEY.

